The Technique of Translumbar Arteriography

By translumbar arteriography is meant the roentgenographic visualization of the abdominal aorta and its branches at that instant when they have been rendered radiopaque by the injection into the aorta of a roentgenopaque fluid. The technique, which will be described below, provides valuable information that is otherwise unobtainable by the present routinely utilized methods of urologic diagnosis. By the procedure, the renal arterial supply is visualized and abnormalities from its normal pattern are detected. DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF ARTERIOGRAPHY It is possible to differentiate between renal tumors and cysts because of the obvious difference in arterial patterns of these two conditions, the former showing an irregular pattern in the area of the tumor as well as the characteristic pooling and puddling of the contrast medium in that area. As would be expected, the presence of a cyst is determined by demonstrating an avascular area and, in contrast to tumor, a lack